State Sen. Mark DeSaulnier hopes his new mailer (see images below) chock full of smack about 10th Congressional District rival and Lt. Gov. John Garamendi will win some votes. DeSaulnier has gone on the attack this week against the lieutenant governor, who has posted 10-point leads in recent polls.

The mailer describes how Garamendi rejected requests that he run in District 3 — where he actually lives — against Republican Rep. Dan Lungren. The ad says:”Lungren is the number one target of the Democratic Party. But when Garamendi was asked to take him on, he chose to fight other Democrats instead.”

Granted, Garamendi clearly chose the easier of the two paths. Running for an open seat in a heavily Democratic district is far more attractive option than against an inumbent in a Republican-leaning district.

And Garamendi was worried about how this issue would play among Democrats. He asked voters about it in his recent poll. In a low turnout election where voters are more likely to be party loyalists who pay attention to this kind of stuff, it might matter.

It wasn’t so long ago that Ms Huffington was a conservative and Marky Mark was a Republican.

The Miller-Marx machine sees that its investment in Marky Mark is lost.

The smart money is no longer going to Marky Mark. That’s why it’s called the smart money.

http://www.HalfwayToConcord.com BGR

Mark has to swing for the fences in left field cause he can’t hit to right.

Jim Leighton

Mark DeSaulnier’s T.V. ad and mailer prove that he is a hypocrite. When DeSaulnier was a Republican, he personally aided the election campaign of “right wing” Dan Lungren for California Governor in 1998. DeSaulnier gave $200.00 to the Contra Costa County United Republican Finance Committee on September 9, 1998. This is on the Federal Election Commission website for all to see: http://images.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?99034200516 DeSaulnier was then serving his first full term as Contra Costa County supervisor. Although Republican Governor Pete Wilson appointed DeSaulnier in Wilson’s xenophobic, immigrant-bashing year of 1994, a county supervisor supposed to be non-partisan.

Yet DeSaulnier went out of his way to aid the Republican ticket in 1998, with his donation supporting Dan Lungren (R) over Gray Davis (D) for Governor, Matt Fong (R) over Barbara Boxer (D) for U.S. Senator and, ironically, the Republican challengers to U.S. Rep. Ellen Tauscher and Assemblyman Tom Torlakson. (Fellow donors included the “who’s who” of CD10 Republicans such as Claude Hutchison, Tauscher’s Republican challenger in 2000.) All of us who volunteered for, contributed to and voted for the Democratic ticket in ’98 must be a bunch of chumps in DeSaulnier’s eyes.

In fact, DeSaulnier is very likely the ONLY Democratic candidate for Congress in CD10 in 2009 who gave money to aid Lungren’s election. DeSaulnier “bet on the wrong horse” with Lungren and suddenly decided to become a Democrat not long after the Republican ticket that he backed in ’98 lost. DeSaulnier allegedly transformed himself from “Lungren lover” in ’98 to “progressive Democrat” in a span of a couple of years. Yeah, give me a break.

Also, someone has been “vandalizing” the Wikipedia page about Mark DeSaulnier in recent days trying to delete the information about DeSaulnier’s financial support of Lungren. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_DeSaulnier. As the “history” tab on the Wikipedia page shows, the vandalism began a several days before DeSaulnier publicly announced his negative T.V. ad and has continued ever since. This suggests that the vandalism is emanating from within DeSaulnier’s inner circle.

Why isn’t the Times/Bay Area News Group reporting on DeSaulnier’s hypocrisy? The Times needs to get DeSaulnier to explain why he donated $200 to the Republican party when Lungren was at the head of the ticket in ’98.

This amiable, over-promoted bartender should be sent back to the restaurant business; he is unethical and unfit for any position of public trust.

http://comcast hypocritical yes!

I completely agree with Jim Leighton and hundreds of others in Contra Costa County who have had to be on the short end of the self serving DeSaulnier machinations.
His desperation is really showing……

lookbothwaysbeforecrossing

Wow you guys are brutal,I never knew these things about Mark !

bernie quigley

interesting and nasty little election. Desaulnier and Buchanan have shown remarkably poor judgement and their political careers will now dead end in their current jobs. The number of core Democrats who now cannot stand one or another (and in some cases both) of them has shot way up.

But the most interesting story of the day is the state Republican Party’s move to a closed primary aimed at boosting the chances of Poizner and killing those of Whitman and Campbell in the Gubernatorial Primary. Nasty business, politics

Kathy Lafferty

Remember that Mark came from Massachusetts, where Republicans are more liberal than CA Republicans. I remember a discussion with him a few months before he switched parties, in which he expressed horror and disgust with Newt Gingrich and the House Republicans, and their unabashed attack on the poor, especially women and children. He was revolted at being associated with that! The Republican party does not match his principles since it’s swing to the far right, and his principles have not changed in all the time I have known him (since his City Council days).

John W

Developments in the CD 10 race are interesting, but I agree with Bernie Quiqley that the story of the day is about the GOP closed primary. They certainly have the right to do that, but killing whatever chance Tom Campbell may have had is a real loss to the state, in my humble opinion. Why is the state GOP so determined to marginalize itself? I heard Poizner interviewed on KGO and expected to hear a pragmatic business-minded Republican with some ideas. Instead, I heard generalizations, exaggerated claims about streamlining the insurance department and conservative boilerplate talking points. Empty suit!

Arne Simonsen

The DeSaulnier campaign is clearly desperate! Since they can’t explain why “their” candidate should be elected; the only thing they can do is to try and discredit John Garamendi.

The voters are not as dumb as DeSaulnier thinks.

Elwood

Re: Post #7

A much more logical explanation of Marky Mark’s conversion is his realization that he would never be elected to partisan office as a Republican in CoCo County. This was after the Miller-Marx machine put the horse’s head in his bed. He’d never had it explained to him that way before.

It’s called pragmatism.

Or maybe his heart just overflowed with compassion.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Joe Voter

The Garamendi staffers strike again. Jim leighton must be another JG staffer looking for a job after the election. Why are you so worried about his wikipedia page? Honestly, get a life. It is quite sad, a grown man claiming ‘vandalism’ to an opponents wikipedia page. Clearly, DeSaulnier wants control over his own page. Stop the whining about a 200 dollar contribution made over 10 years ago. The man was not actively campaigning for any republican candidate. A small donation to the party is a regular thing for any public official. This contribution is simply irrelevant. Another example of Garamendi staffers trying to take the focus off of the real issue: John Garamendi does not live in this community, has no record of service in this district, and is a perfect example of a sleazy, self centered opportunist career politician looking for a safe dem seat. Lord knows he had no shot at the governor’s race.

What is relevant is the 4,000 Mr. Garamendi has received from 4 large agribusiness PAC’s that last cycle gave over 30,000 to the Republican National Committee. The RNC! Check out the FEC report. Poultry PAC, Farm PAC, Sunkist PAC, and Gallo Cattle Co. That is money given to Garamendi in THIS CAMPAIGN. Taking money from huge agribusiness PAC’s to protect his rancher interests in Calaveras, where Garamendi lives. Probably explains his vote against Prop. 2, a measure that was supported by over 65% of voters in this district.

This is relevant. This happened just months ago. Not TEN YEARS ago. Garmendi accepting money from organizations that have supported over 30 republicans for office in the last election cycle. Organizations that have repeatedly tried to skirt public health regulations that protect California consumers from big corporations trying to get around proper labeling and production of their products.

The Garamendi staffers that are trying to claim this was some desperate move. These are just the facts. If this was no big deal, why did JG lie about it repeatedly. Because he knew this was an issue. He knows people in this district want a representative that has local ties and deep roots in this area.

The real facts: Garmendi does not live here. He has no record of service to this community. He is a career politician looking for a safe dem seat that he can hold on to for as long as he wants it. Until his next opportunity presents itself. Can this man really understand the needs and issues most important to people in this district?

Any reasonable man can see right through this carpetbagger. No party loyalty, no reason to believe he will be accountable to the voters in our community, and repeated dishonesty about the location of his residence.

Yes Mr. Simonsen, the voters in this district AREN’T that stupid.

bernie quigley

The Contra Costa Times today in its editorial endorsement of Garamendi — and to an extent, David Harmer — quite correctly slammed DeSaulnier as totally in the pocket of the public sector unions. Buchanan is similarly characterized as having sold out to the unions. Unfortunately, too many Democrats think the State is run for the benefit of the unions. The selling of a politician’s political soul for campaign contributions is reprehensible and little different from corruption.

Dan Borenstein’s continuing illumination of the $250k per year pensions of the San Ramon and Moraga fire officials is great stuff. All citizens should be grateful for this kind of reporting. It’s why we need newspapers.

Elwood

Re: Verbose post #11

Here are a few words for you “Joe Voter”

Congressman Garamendi! Congressman Garamendi! Congressman Garamendi!

Get used to it. You’ll be hearing it a lot.

Here’s something else you’ll be hearing a lot:

“Hey Mark, is the sushi fresh today? Gimme another beer.”

Elwood

The CCTimes editorial today hits the nail on the head. John Garamendi, extremely well qualified.

Marky Mark, in the pocket of the public employee unions.

Rich

If elected, Garamendi will immedialty start running for another office. That’s his M.O., after he get’s elected to a job he ignores the job and starts running for higher office. CD 10 voters don’t need an absentee Congressman who spends all his time fund raising and hanging around LA looking for votes. We need a Congressman that’s going to work on local issues, one who meets with constituents, and one who will bring federal dollars to the district. That’s why State Senator Mark DeSaulnier is the right choice. We don’t need this out-of-town carpetbagger John Garamendi to represent us in DC. Congressman George Miller, Tom Torlakson, Ellen Tauscher all agree with this view, they have ALL refused to back Garamendi in this race – they are all backing DeSaulnuier. Same with local labor unions and enviromental groups. The choice if simple; vote for Garamendi and you will get an absentee Congressman, who spends all his time in LA or Calaveras county. If you support DeSaulnier you will get a Congressman well vsrsed on local issues, a guy who will deliver for CD 10 voters.

bernie quigley

Desaulnier and Buchanan are mediocrities at best and would have minimal clout in Washington. They could causcus with Jerry McNerney. Garamendi has stature, a good rolodex, his Harvard degree, and some elan. He could be a fairly prominent player in Washington quickly. He’s also a heck of a lot smarter than the other two.

http://www.slurvemag.com BJD

ALL freshmen have no clout, Garamendi will be no different. Smaller budget for staff, bad office, doesn’t matter who you are.

Doug Smith

Elwood,
Sushi? If Mark wants to go back to his old place of business, it will be more like, “will that be two toppings or three?” since, TR’s is now Skipolini’s Pizza.
Seriously, though, if DeSaulnier loses the CD10 race, he’ll still be our State Senator for another 3 years.
Scary, since that gives him the ability to vote for more tax increases on us, like he did with the $12+ billion tax increase, earlier this year.
Worse he wants that Constitutional Convention to get rid of the 2/3’s vote requirement and probably Prop 13, too.
What a disappointment he’s become.

In defense of Congressman Dan Lungren, he may be conservative, but he’s not “certifiably insane.”
He did a great job as State Attorney General and serves his district well, and it will take a lot to unseat him, which Garamendi’s probably aware.